Laurent Dugas

Laurent Dugas is a former politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He was a Verdun city councillor from 1985 to 2001 and a Montreal city councillor from 2002 to 2004, following Verdun's amalgamation into Montreal. His career in public life ended following a personal scandal.

Private career

Dugas was an educator at the École secondaire Monseigneur-Richard for thirty years, eventually becoming principal before retiring in 2003. He was also vice-president of a world kite-flying festival for four years.[1]

Political career

Dugas was first elected to the Verdun city council in the 1985 municipal election as a member of the Parti d'action municipale (Municipal Action Party).[2] This party did not remain active after the election, and several councillors including Dugas subsequently crossed over to the governing Regroupement des citoyens de Verdun (Verdun Citizens' Movement). Dugas served on the city's planning committee during his first term and was re-elected in 1989.[3][4]

The Parti d'action municipale was revitalized in the buildup to the 1993 municipal election; Dugas returned to the party and was re-elected under its banner in both 1993 and 1997.[5][6] He held several responsibilities in the city, including serving as president of Verdun's sports, recreation, and culture committee for ten years.[7]

Verdun was amalgamated into the city of Montreal in 2001, and Dugas was elected as one of the community's three representatives on the Montreal city council in the 2001 municipal election as a candidate of the Montreal Island Citizens Union (MICU). He was appointed as a delegate to the Montreal Metropolitan Community after the election, and, by virtue of his position on city council, also served on the Verdun borough council.[8] In 2004, he advocated for a new electoral system wherein all of Montreal's city and borough councillors would be elected "at large" in their boroughs rather than in separate electoral divisions (Verdun's three city councillors were elected "at large" in 2001, but most boroughs had separate, single-member divisions).[9] He also advocated in favour of pay increases for borough councillors who did not serve on city council.[10] Before his career ended in scandal, he was the majority leader on council and MICU caucus chair and was considered a rising political star.[11]

Scandal and downfall

In October 2004, Dugas was charged with sexual assault and sexually touching an adolescent under his authority. Both charges stemmed from a single incident the previous year involving a seventeen-year-old boy. Dugas immediately resigned from MICU to sit as an independent. He continued to serve on council until in the 2005 municipal election, in which he was not a candidate. On June 1, 2006, he was acquitted of the sexual assault charge but found guilty of sexual touching; he did not contest the charge and wrote a letter of apology to his victim that was read in court. He received an unconditional discharge from the presiding judge in June 2007, following a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence.[12]

Electoral record
2001 Montreal municipal election: Councillor, Verdun (three members elected)
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Citizens UnionGeorges Bossé11,41519.42
Citizens UnionLaurent Dugas9,00115.31
Citizens UnionClaude Trudel8,54014.53
Vision MontrealDanielle Paiement7,59312.92
Vision MontrealRobert Isabelle7,57712.89
Vision MontrealMicheline Senécal7,37712.55
IndependentCatherine Chauvin4,8438.24
IndependentPierre Labrosse1,6412.79
White ElephantDaniel Racicot7861.34
Total valid votes 58,773100–
Source: Election results, 1833-2005 (in French), City of Montreal.
1997 Verdun municipal election: Councillor, Division 6
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Parti d'action municipaleLaurent Dugas (incumbent)acclaimed-
Source: "Results from races for mayor, council" Montreal Gazette, 3 November 1997, A6.
1993 Verdun municipal election: Councillor, Division 7
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Parti d'action municipaleLaurent Dugas (incumbent)83160.88
Regroupement des Citoyens de VerdunDenis Gouin35035.64
S.O.S. Taxes VerdunAndre Tremblay18413.48
Total valid votes 1,365100–
Source: "Incumbents all re-elected in Montreal East voting," Montreal Gazette, 9 November 1993, A6.
1989 Verdun municipal election: Councillor, Division 7
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Regroupement des citoyens de VerdunLaurent Dugas (incumbent)elected
IndependentSpiros Lazaratosdefeated
Sources: "La liste des candidats," La Presse, 5 November 1989, A7; Élus de Verdun de 1875 à 2005, City of Montreal.
1985 Verdun municipal election: Councillor, Division 6
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Parti d'action municipaleLaurent Dugas73436.98
Regroupement des Citoyens de VerdunJules Provost43321.81
Parti de l'Unité de VerdunYvon Bernier (incumbent)40220.25
Parti contre l'annexion de VerdunRéal Lapierre37218.74
Parti civique de VerdunCarmen Goedike442.22
Total valid votes 1,985100–
Source: "Final results for Verdun, Hudson, Montreal East," Montreal Gazette, 5 November 1985, A6.
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References
  1. Allison Hanes and Sidharta Banerjee, "Verdun councillor answers to sex charges: Dugas resigns from Tremblay's party," Montreal Gazette, 21 October 2004, A1.
  2. "Final results for Verdun, Hudson, Montreal East," Montreal Gazette, 5 November 1985, A6.
  3. Karen Seidman and Marian Scott, "Nuns' Island residents slam Verdun plan, back Montreal's," Montreal Gazette, 6 February 1986, A1.
  4. "La liste des candidats," La Presse, 5 November 1989, A7; Florian Bernard, "Verdun: Savard reporté au pouvoir; Pierrefonds: Morin élu," La Presse, 6 November 1989, B5; Élus de Verdun de 1875 à 2005, City of Montreal.
  5. "Incumbents all re-elected in Montreal East voting," Montreal Gazette, 9 November 1993, A6.
  6. "Results from races for mayor, council," Montreal Gazette 3 November 1997, A6.
  7. Antoine Robitaille, "Un conseiller municipal accusé d'agression sexuelle sur un mineur," Le Devoir, 21 October 2004.
  8. Linda Gyulai, "Plenty of extra pay to go around," Montreal Gazette, 14 May 2002, A4.
  9. Henry Aubin, "Electoral proposals are wrongheaded" [editorial], Montreal Gazette, 16 September 2004, A25; James Mennie, "Changing city hall," Montreal Gazette, 4 October 2004, A7.
  10. Andy Riga, "Borough councillors may get raise," Montreal Gazette, 15 September 2004, A6.
  11. James Mennie, "Latest bombshell has mayor reeling," Montreal Gazette, 21 October 2004, A4.
  12. "Montreal city councillor charged with sexual assault and sexual touching," Canadian Press, 20 October 2004; Allison Hanes and Sidharta Banerjee, "Verdun councillor answers to sex charges: Dugas resigns from Tremblay's party," Montreal Gazette, 21 October 2004, A1; Sue Montgomery, "Former city councillor Dugas found guilty of sexually touching teenager," Montreal Gazette, 2 June 2006, A7; Sue Montgomery, "Molester has paid enough: judge; Ex-principal given unconditional discharge," Montreal Gazette, 22 June 2007, A7.
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